Automatic train-order-blank holder.



. No. 628,99|. Patented luly [8, !899.

4 N. H. PRATT.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN ORDER BLANK HOLDER.

Application filed Feb 27, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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W i t nesses.

Attorney&

ATENT OFFICE* NORMAN H. PRATT, OF DUPLAINVI LE, wIsooNsIN.

AUTOMTIC T-RAIN-ORDER-BLANK HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formng part of Letters Patent N. 628391; dated July 18, 1899.

Application filed February 27,1899. Serial No. '707,004. (No model.)

To all whom 't may oonoern:

Be it known that I, NORMAN H. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duplainville, in the county of Waukesha and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and `useful Improvements in Automatic Trainorder blanks or clips are moved from their` holder, whereby it becomes necessary to raise the signal to the danger position before the blank train-orders can be taken down or withdrawn from the holder and whereby such danger-signal cannot be lowered or changed untilthe order is filled out 'and the blank orders replaced in the holder. i

It is understood that it' is customary for the railway-stationagent to fill out certain blanl train-orders for delivery to the conductors of incoming trains prior to their ar'ival. It will be obvions that by this device the agent will not be able to take down his blanks for the purpose of filling out such orders without first throwing up the signal or placing it in the danger position, and it follows that in performing his usual duties in taking down and filling out the orders he will be coinpelled to operate the signal, whereby the liability of thoughtlessly neglecting so to do is avoided and the operator is relieved from charging his memory with such duty.

My invention is further explained by 1'el`-' ercnce to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represcnts a vertical section of a railway-station, showing' therein the orderblank holder located in a convenient position above the desi; of the operator and connected by a wire cable with the signal-operating le' ver. Fg. 2 is a detail showing a cross-section of the order-blank holder with a set or block of order-blanks Suspended therefrom.

so that when released from the action of the i cable D the signal A will be thrown up into the horizontal position by the gravity of the weight O; Motionis co nmnnicated to the signal from the operating-lever E through the wire cable D in the ordinary manner.

F represents the order-blank holder, 'which is shown with a series of five sets of orderblanks Gr Suspended therefron in a convenient position over the desk of the operator The looking mechanisn of the order-blank holder is connected with the operating-lever E by the wire cabl'e H, (shown in Fig. 1,) whereby as the lever is drawn toward the right, in the position shown in said figure, the locking-barl is drawn out. As all of the order-blanks are alike connected in like manner with the holder, the description Will be limited to the construction of asingle one, as shown in Fig. 2, in which the order-blanks G are aflixed to the lower arm of the U-shaped sliding bracket J, while theupper arin of said sliding bracket is supported in a recess K, for-med in the block K', and is retained in place by the looking-bar I. The looking-bar I is provided with as many recesses or notches `L as there are order-blank holders, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be obvious that when the bracket J is in the position shown in Fig. 2 it will be impossible to withdraw the order blank and bracket Without first bringing the bar I in the position shown therein, so that the recesses or notches in said bar I will register with the upper edge of the brackets J, whereby the up- `per projecting lug M of said bracket J can pass out through said notches L as said orderblanks are withdrawn. O

It will now be obvious that when desirous to remove an order-blank from the holder it Will first be 'necessary to throw thelever Etoward the left, thereby releasing the tension of the ICO in place.

v spring P into engagenent with the lookingbar I, whereby said bar will be locked in its position and the sign-al retained in the danger position until said looking-slide O is again forced back by contact With the' bracket J as said bracket, with the blanks, is again put It will be obvious that when the order-blanks are in place, as shown in Fig. 1, the lever E is free to be thrown in either direction, as desired.

For convenienoe in illustra-ting the device I have shown the Operating-lover E connected With the danger-signal and the order-blanklocking nechanism by cables Operating over pulleys. It is obvious, however, that bellcrank levers may be substituted for the pulleys, it' desired. It is also obvious that cables may under some conditions be substituted by rigid metallic bars, in which case the spiral spring N for actuating the looking-bar I in one direction may be dispensed with and said looking-bar I moved by the direct action of said rigid bars in either direction, the spiral spring N being only necessary where a flexible connection is used for actuating said bar I.

Having thus described -my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An automatic train-order-blank holder, adapted to be used in connection with a railway danger-signal, consisting in the combin ation of a supporting-block provided with one or more grooves or recesses for the reception of blank-holding brackets; a transversely-arran ged lockin g-bar provided With one or more grooves or recesses adapted to register with the grooves of said blank-holding brackets; oneor more blank-holding brackets, each bracket being connected at one end with a set of order-blanks, and its other end being adapted. to be inserted in a groove provided therefor in said supporting-block, when the grooves of said block and bar are in position to register with each other; one or more locking-slides and bar-actuating springs located in the bracket-supportin g grooves of said supporting-block, said looking-slide being adapted, as the order-blank bracket is inserted in its grooves, to be forced rearward out of contact with the looking-bar, and when said bracket is withdrawn fron its supportinggrooves, to be thrown forward by said actuating-spring, into contact With said lookingbar, whereby said looking-bar is locked in position and prevented from being accidentally' recesses adapted to register with the grooves i of said blank-holding brackets; one or more blank-holding brackets, each bracket being connected at one end with a set of orderblanks, and its other end being adapted to be inserted in a groove provided therefor in .said supporting-block, when the grooves of said block and bar are in position to 'register with each other; one or more looking-slides and bar-actuating springs located in the bracket-supporting grooves of said supporting-block; a danger-signal; and a connection comnunicating froni said danger-signal to the looking-bar of said blank-holder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of an automatic trainorder-blank holder, consisting in a supporting-block provided with one or more grooves or recesses for the reception of blank-holding brackets; a transversely-arranged lookingbar provided with one or more grooves or recesses adapted to register with the grooves of said blank-holding brackets; one or more blank-holding brackets, each bracket being connected at one end with a set of orderblanks, and its other end being adapted to be inserted in a groove provided therefor in said supporting-block, when the grooves of said block and bar are in position to register with each other; one or more looking-slides and bar actuating springs located in the bracket-supporting grooves of said supporting-block; a danger-signal; a lever for operating said danger-signal; a connection communicating between said automatic blankhol'der and the operating-lever of said danger-signal; and a connection communicating from said Operating-level' to said danger-signal, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4:. The combination of an automatic train` order-blank holder, consisting in a supporting-block provided with one or more grooves or recesses for the reception of blank-holding brackets; a transversely-arranged lookingbar provided with one or more grooves or recesses adapted to register with the grooves of said blank-holding brackets; one or more blank-holding brackets, each bracket being connected at one end with a set of orderblanks, and its other end being adapted to be inserted in a groove provided therefor in said supporting-block, when the grooves of said block and bar are in position to register with each other; one or more looking-slides, and bar-actuating springs located in the bracketsupporting grooves of said supporting-block;

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a signal-'aetuating lever; a flexible connection communicating between said lever and theloeking-ba' of said order-blank holder, adapted to actuate said l oeking-lever in one direction; and a spiral spring connected with the opposite end of said lockng-Iever and adapted, as said metallica connection is''eleased, to move said loeking-lever in the opppsite direction, all substantally as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN PRATT. 'witnesses:

LEVERETT C. WHEELER, F. A. OTTO. 

